More storms expected in Michigan after multiple tornadoes

Severe storms cause widespread outages, flooding and infrastructure damage statewide
Northern Michigan flooding raises dam concerns and prompts evacuations
More thunderstorms expected throughout the week, increasing risk of additional impacts

Last updated: Thursday, April 16 at 6:15 a.m.

Most of Michigan remained under flood watches or warnings Thursday morning following a series of storms and confirmed tornadoes, heightening concerns about additional power outages and worsening conditions in already hard-hit communities.

The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings for the Lower Peninsula north of Cadillac through Sunday and predicts more rain over the coming days.

Flood watches remained in effect through Thursday for much of the rest of the state.

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In west Michigan, more thunderstorms were possible Thursday morning, with severe thunderstorms possible again on Sunday, according to NWS. Isolated but severe storms with strong winds and hail were possible Thursday in southeast Michigan, with a chance of more storms late Friday into Saturday morning.

Multiple tornadoes

The National Weather Service indicates seven tornadoes touched down in Michigan on Tuesday night, including EF-1 tornadoes in Ann Arbor, Melvindale, Otsego Township, Fenwick in Montcalm County and Albee Township in Saginaw County.

EF-1 tornadoes are considered moderately intense with wind speeds between 86 and 110 mph. Lesser strength EF-0 tornadoes were also confirmed in Allegan, Newburg in Shiawassee County and Bridgeport in Saginaw County.

Power outages

As of Thursday morning, about 10,000 Michigan customers remained without power, down from more than 61,000 a day earlier, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks data from utilities across the state.

That included 2,655 customers in Allegan County and more than 1,000 in each of Barry, Clinton and Calhoun counties.

DTE Energy said 647 of its customers were without power. Consumers Energy reported 168 outages affecting about 8,854 customers.

“Heavy rains and melting snow and ice have put tremendous pressure on Michigan’s dams this week, but we want people to be sure to understand our 13 facilities are operating safely,” Jean Kang, vice president of generation operations for Consumers Energy, said in a Wednesday statement. “They are structurally sound and can withstand this week’s intense weather.”

The energy utility has 13 hydroelectric dams along the Kalamazoo, Manistee, Muskegon, Au Sable and Grand rivers.

“The high water flows coming from upstream are the main reason for flood warnings that are being issued downstream,” Kang said.

Storm damage

The impacts of Tuesday night’s storm were felt across Michigan.

In Ann Arbor, 70 mph wind gusts were reported at the University of Michigan Stadium. Yost Arena, where the school’s hockey games are played, was damaged.

The east wall of Veterans Memorial Park Ice Arena also collapsed, according to the Ann Arbor Fire Department, which reported “significant damage” across the city, but no injuries.

Southeast Michigan received about 2 inches of rain as severe thunderstorms swept through the region. No tornadoes have been confirmed in the region but several downed power lines and trees have been reported, including:

Downed tree limbs in the Pittsburg area of Shiawassee County, Dexter in Washtenaw County and Davisburg in Oakland County
Downed power lines in Ann Arbor, Inkster and Hillsdale County’s Moscow Township

A flooded street in Ann Arbor, Michigan. — ‘A severe storm has caused significant damage across the City of Ann Arbor,’ the local fire department reported Wednesday morning. (Courtesy of the Ann Arbor Fire Department)

As of Wednesday morning, several roads have also been closed due to flooding and downed wires, including:

I-96 between D-19 and Latson Road in Livingston County
East and Westbound I-94 at Jackson Ave in Washtenaw County
Southbound I-75 at Davidson

Wind gusts as fast as 80 mph were reported Tuesday night at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids and 69 mph at Detroit Metro Airport in Romulus, according to preliminary reports published by the National Weather Service.

Flooding in northern Michigan

The extreme weather in lower Michigan arrived as communities across northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula grappled with widespread flooding that threatened dams and wiped out other infrastructure.

The Water level behind the Cheboygan Dam dropped by Wednesday morning, ranging from nearly an inch to about eight inches below the top, as forecasted rain continued to pose a threat.

Officials warned residents downstream of the Bellaire Dam to evacuate as a precaution on Tuesday. Parts of Cheboygan were evacuated on Tuesday after a levee breach in the Little Black River watershed.

The Emmet County Sheriff’s Office alerted travelers Monday morning that flooding caused significant road damage on M-119 between Island View and Division Rd, part of the roughly 20-mile scenic route known as the Tunnel of Trees.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extended the statewide activation of the State Emergency Operations Center on Tuesday as rising water levels continue to threaten dams and drive severe flooding. It was initially activated on Friday in response to rising water levels at the Cheboygan Dam and Lock Complex on the Cheboygan River.

The Michigan State Police said at least six other dams were at risk of failing, including the Upper Hiawatha and Hillman dams in Montmorency County, Homestead Dam in Benzie County, Union Street Dam in Grand Traverse County, and Rugg Pond Dam in Kalkaska County.

The dam threats have put the spotlight on Michigan’s aging infrastructure and ownership disputes in Cheboygan.

Regulators have deemed 100 Michigan dams in poor condition, and a report last year from the Association of State Dam Safety Officials estimated that state dams need at least $1 billion in updates.

Follow the Bridge Michigan flood watch tracker for the latest information.

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